Systems and methods for rendering a simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image for a gaming application

Abstract

A vessel network mesh and a tool mesh can be created for every frame of the gaming application. The simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image can be rendered using vessel network meshes and a pixel shader.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for rendering a simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image for a gaming application, comprising:
 creating a vessel network mesh and a tool mesh for every frame of the gaming application; and 
 rendering the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image using vessel network meshes and a pixel shader, the rendering comprising:
 determining front faces of the vessel network meshes; 
 determining back faces of the vessel network meshes; 
 
 wherein the rendering of the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image is order-independent; and 
 wherein the order-independent rendering of the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image is done using floating point addition and by rendering rasterized triangles on the vessel network meshes; and 
 wherein, based on the order-independence of the floating point addition, attenuation in the vessel network mesh is linearly proportional to a distance traveled through the vessel network mesh. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using anatomical meshes of a patient. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying an effect to the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the effect comprises: a vignette effect, a color grading effect, a bloom effect, a composite final image, a color chromatic effect, a motion blur effect, a different lens distortion effect, and a panini projection effect. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein RGB is used to apply the effect. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the effect comprises at least two of:
 a vignette effect, a color grading effect, a bloom effect, a composite final image, a color chromatic effect, a motion blur effect, a different lens distortion effect, and a panini projection effect. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the effect comprises at least three of:
 a vignette effect, a color grading effect, a bloom effect, a composite final image, a color chromatic effect, a motion blur effect, a different lens distortion effect, and a panini projection effect. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the effect comprises at least four of:
 a vignette effect, a color grading effect, a bloom effect, a composite final image, a color chromatic effect, a motion blur effect, a different lens distortion effect, and a panini projection effect. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the effect comprises at least five of:
 a vignette effect, a color grading effect, a bloom effect, a composite final image, a color chromatic effect, a motion blur effect, a different lens distortion effect, and a panini projection effect. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a node attribute comprising physical simulation. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuation can use distance from: a camera, the front faces of the vessel network meshes, and the back faces of the vessel network meshes. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the attenuation can use distance from: a camera, the front faces of the vessel network meshes, and the back faces of the vessel network meshes. 
     
     
       13. A system for rendering a simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image for a gaming application, comprising:
 a processor configured for:
 creating a vessel network mesh and a tool mesh for every frame of the gaming application; and 
 rendering the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image using vessel network meshes and a pixel shader, the rendering comprising:
 determining front faces of the vessel network meshes; and 
 determining back faces of the vessel network meshes; 
 
 wherein the rendering of the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image is order-independent; and 
 wherein the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image is rendered using floating-point addition; and 
 wherein, based on the order-independence of the floating point addition, attenuation in the vessel network mesh is linearly proportional to a distance traveled through the vessel network mesh. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
 using anatomical meshes of a patient. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the rendering of the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image is done by rendering rasterized triangles on the vessel network meshes. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
 applying an effect to the simulated fluoroscopic x-ray image. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured for: a vignette effect, a color grading effect, a bloom effect, a composite final image, a color chromatic effect, a motion blur effect, a different lens distortion effect, a panini projection effect, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein RGB is used to apply the effect. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
 assigning a node attribute comprising physical simulation.